The present invention relates to a roof ridge vent that enables the circulation of air between a roof of a building and an underlying ceiling structure.
It is useful, and in many locales a building code requirement, that the attic area of a building be provided with a means to permit air exchange. Such ventilation prevents undue heat buildup, which can render the living quarters of the building uncomfortable and impose unreasonable energy requirements for cooling. Proper ventilation of the attic area also tends to preserve the structural integrity of the roof and roof coverings. One method of venting the roof structure consists of applying a venting media over a slot present along the ridge of a roof. These types of vents are known as ridge vents.
Examples of ridge vents are provided by U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,595 issued to McCorsley et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,298,613 issued to Coulton et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,308,472 issued to Coulton et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,902,432 issued to Coulton et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,521 issued to Coulton et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,942,699 issued to Spinelli. These patents are owned, or co-owned, by Benjamin Obdyke, Inc., the assignee of the present application.
While the roof ridge vents disclosed in the above referenced patents function in a superior manner, there continues to be a need for alternatives with respect to the design, materials and manufacturing of roof ridge vent products. To this end, the vent should permit a sufficient amount of ventilating air flow without compromising weather infiltration resistance and should be capable of being properly installed in a manner requiring labor skills possessed by the average roof installer. In addition, the vent should be capable of efficient manufacture from inexpensive materials and should be capable of being formed into a roll for shipping, transportation and subsequent installation on a roof ridge.